Photo Courtesy of James Madison Athletics
RICHMOND, Va., March 25, 2014 – James Madison softball freshman outfielder Taylor Newton (Bradenton, Fla./Lakewood Ranch) is the Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday. Newton wins the award for the first time in her career and is the second Duke this season to be named the Player of the Week, joining sophomore catcher Erica Field (Manassas, Va./Osbourn Park).
Newton helped pace JMU to its first-ever sweep and series win of Hofstra last weekend. The rookie hit .625 (5-for-8) with four extra-base hits, including three home runs. She added a double, eight RBIs and three runs scored while starting all three games in right field. In Saturday’s doubleheader, Newton started her weekend with a two-run single to help the Dukes build a 4-0 lead on the Pride in the top of the first. JMU went on to win that game 5-3. In the nightcap, she drove in four of the team’s five run while smacking a pair of home runs. Her first four-bagger was a solo shot in the fifth inning that tied the score before she cracked a three-run shot in the sixth inning to break the game open and put Madison in front, 5-1.
On Sunday, the Bradenton, Fla., native concluded her domination of Hofstra by driving in both JMU runs in a 2-1 victory. That included a go-ahead solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Newton drove in eight of the team’s 12 runs on the weekend.
This season, Newton is hitting .272 with a team-best five home runs and 19 RBIs. She has scored nine runs, adding five doubles, a triple, eight walks and four steals.
The Dukes picked up four votes in this week’s USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll and now have 28 total votes. They continue to sit first among others receiving votes, ranking them 26th in the country. They also added 12 votes in the ESPN.com/USA Today College Top 25, moving them into 27th place in that poll. The first NCAA Ratings Percentage Index came out on Monday and the Dukes checked in at No. 26. Charleston is the second-highest CAA team at 69 followed by Hofstra at 72.
Charleston’s Samantha Martin is the conference’s Pitcher of the Week while UNCW’s Lauren Moore collected Rookie of the Week accolades.
JMU returns to the field this weekend as it takes on CAA newcomer the College of Charleston in a three-game series. Saturday’s doubleheader starts at 1 p.m. with Sunday’s final game scheduled for a noon start.
